Plamograph co



F. A. SECORD.

DRYING APPARATUS.

APPUCATION FILED MAR- 15. 19!].

1,315,530. PatentedSept. 9,1919.

' 2 SHEETS-8 l.

I 71 2 en/Z707: I a. M,

F. A. SECORD.

DRYiNG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15. 1917.

1,815,530. PatentedSept. 9,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

STATES PATENT oEFIoE.

FREDERICK A. sEcoEn, 0F s'n aornv, NEw EEuNswIoK, CANADA, AssIGNoE oEoNE- THIRD T0 ALEXANDER PIERCEHPATERSONAND oNE-rnianro' CHARLES HENRY rETEEs, BOTH 0E sr. JOHN, NEW BRUNSWICK; cANAnA. a

DRYING APPARATUS.

Speeification of Letters 1. mm. Patented g tgg 1919.

Application filed March 15, 1917. seriarNo. 155,115.

To all whom it may concern: p

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. Snoonn, a subject of KingGeorge Vof England, residing at St. John, in'the county ofSt. John, New Brunswick, Canada, have invented new and useful Improvements in Drying Apparatus, of which the following is a specifieation.

This invention relatesito improvements-in drying apparatus. i i I The principal object of the invention is to provide an apparatus capable of quickly and uniformly drying miscellaneous commodities and in reducing the cost of drying such commodities to the minlmum.

In the accomplishment of the above object portable driers have been provided for the purpose of conveying the commodities from the preparing department tothe drying station and then either to a kiln where they may be baked or to a store house or to the final destination of the commodity, whereby all handling of said commodity between the startin point and the destination thereof will be reduced to the minimum. 1

Means are also provided for supplying a drying medium to the portable drier at the drying station and still other means are pro vided for controlling the application of the drying medium to the material that is being dried within said drier and preferably for accomplishing this result by boththe radiation and circulation of said 1nedium,;where by full efliciencyof said drying mediummay be realized.

T he invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts whereby the above object and certain other objects hereinafter appearing may be maintained, as setforth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure l is a side view of a pair of conveyers embodying this invention, portions thereofbeing broken away and other portions being shownin section. Fig. 2 is a sectiontaken on the line 2 2 ofFigl. Fig. 3 is a side view of a pair of conveyers of somewhatdilferent form from those illus trated in Figs. 1 and 2, but embodying the fundamental features of the-invention.

.Flg. 4c is a section taken onthe line4.4: of F 1g. 3. i

i Fig. =5 is a side elevation, illustrating a different arrangement of the duct which conveys the drying medium to the conveyers. Fig. 6 is a sectlon taken on the line 66 of Fig.5. y i

, .Fig. .7 isa detail sectional view. through a pivoted. end of one of the hollow. supports for the conveyor, illustrating a damper or gets attachedto the end of said support and adapted tobe closed by the raising of said support so as to prevent any unnecessary waste of the drying. medium.

Fig.8 is. a section, similar to Fig 7 illustrating the hollow support in its up-turned position with the damper closed;

.Figs. 9,10 and 11 are transverse sections through the i hollow supports, illustrating different arrangements of perforationsfor said supports. t p t y ,Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In the drawings, referring particularly to Figs. 1. and 2,1 represents a duet for conveyin'g the drying. medium from the producing instrumentalities, not shown in the drawings, to a drying station. Said duct is preferably arranged beneath a floor or platform which may be within. a building or in theopen. d v d W 1 l [The duct 1 has openings 3. in its upper wall at predetermined intervals apart adapted to be closedby suitable covers 4 so that when no connection is made therewith there will be no waste or means of eseapeof the drying medium from. said duct. Conveyors ,5, 5 embodying the features of this invention, are adapted to carry the material that is to be dried from the preparing department to positions over the openings 3 of saidfduct and thenhither. to a ki1n,-store house or to the final destination of the material said. conveyors being arranged to ove-nporr a suitable trackdisposed longitudinallyof said duct. d {In Fig. l the conveyersb are shown supported upon overhead track 6 suspended longitudinallyof the duct land supports trucks 8, 8 adapted to roll along said track and from which depend hangers 9.

1 In the form of conveyer under discussion two [hangers are employed for each, these being arranged at opposite ends of the conveyer and supporting a platform 10. The conveyors 5, 5 are preferably independent of each other but are adapted to be placed close together on one track 6 over the duct 1 and each of said conveyers has means, hereinafter described, for providing communica tion through one of the openings 3 of the duct 1 and the interior of said conveyer. Arranged longitudinally of said floor 10 are aplurality of supports 11, 11of hollow construction and in horizontal positions. The supports illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 are particularly adapted for supporting bricks and the "supporting surfaces 12 thereof are substantially" equal in width to the length of the bricks 13 resting thereupon. In the present case there are four supports extending longitudinally of the floor 10 of the conveyer, these supports being disposed at sufiicient distances apart to provide air spaces between the stacksof bricks mounted thereon.

A header 14 is arranged preferably. adjacent to one end'of the series of supports and it has communication with all ofsaid supports. The opposite ends of said Supports at 15 are preferably closed so that there will be no escape of the drying medium' therefrom. Each support 11 is pro vided with a series of perforations 16,16 extending longitudinally thereof adjacent to each edge of the supporting surface 12 thereof; In'the forms illustrated in Figs. land 2 the perforations 16 are arranged in 'the'side walls of said supports and at a distance below'the surface 12.

' A layer of sheet material embodying absorbent qualities may be. placed along the 8 surface 12, as shown at 17, to facilitate the removal of moisture from the brick.

. In the dryi'ng of bricks, it has been customaryto make a stack, eight ormore bricks high so as to utilize all available space possible, but in so doing the upper portion of the stack will be exposed to the drying medium which has been in contact with the lower bricks and consequently acquired considerable moisture so that the drying of the upper bricks'will be slower than that of the lower ones and furthermore so much weight upon the lower bricks is likely to flatten those beneath. I

g In {order to procure uniformity in drying and't'o'prevent the crushing or flattening of the und r bricks, the supports 11 hereinbefore, mentioned, have been placed at certain distances apart and each support is capable of supporting a stack of bricks; the width of the supporting surface of each support is substantially equal to the length of one brick or of sufiicient width to take one row of the articles to be dried thereby while the height of the material supported thereon may be limited by placing either one or more series of supports 18, 18 above the first series, said other series being constructed in substantially the same manner as are the supports 11.

These supports also have communication with the header 14 which is extended upwardly a suflicient distance to form a support for the open ends of the supports 18 pivotally attached to said header at 25 so as to permit their being swung upwardly during the stacking of the bricks upon the lower series of supports.

The lower walls of the supports 18 are extended laterally on each side at 19, 19 so as to almost touch the extension 19 of the next support in the series, providing but a slight aperture 20 therebetween. These extensions are for the purpose of forming a baffle for the lower section 21 of the conveyer and retard the upward movement of the drying medium which is usually warmer than the surrounding atmosphere of the conveyer and naturally tends to rise. This insures a longer exposure of the bricks, in the lower section, to the action of said drying medium.

To economize in the amount of drying medium used in the drying of the articles on said conveyer a casing may be provided to inclose all of the supports and the articles thereon. This casing preferably includes two end walls 22 and 23. The wall 23 is adapted to sustain the weight of the outer ends of the supports 18 in the position illustrated in the figures referred to, that is parallel with the supports 11, a bracket 24 being attached to said wall for said supports 18 to rest upon when horizontal.

The upper wall of each support 18 is ex-- tended beyond the pivot 25 at 18' and extends into the header 14. through an opening 26, said extension being constructed and arranged to serve as a damper or closure for said opening when the support is swung upwardly from the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The reason for pivoting the supports 18 as stated is to provide access to the lower supports during the loading and unloading of the conveyer. The side walls and top of the casing are preferably constructed in sections to enable the same to be folded when the articles within the same are to be removed or when said conveyer is to be loaded or unloaded.

The preferred method of constructing the side walls and top of the casing is to provide narrow sections 27 and 28 at the peak,

lOO

which are pivotally connected together by a rod 29 extending centrally lengthwise of said casing, said rod being mounted upon thehangers s f V Suspended from the lower edge of the sections 27 and 28 are three sections 30, 31 and 32 which are substantially uniform in width and hinged at their adjacent edges. These sections are adapted to rest upon the hangers 9 and the upper edges of theend walls 22 and 23 when the casing is closed, and extend to the floor 10. Ordinarily the supports 18 will be longer than the space provided be tween said supports and the top of the easing so that when the casing is used it will be necessary to form the supports 18 in two parts 33 and 34 pivoted together at 35 substantially midway between the ends thereof, thus when said supports are turned upwardly, as shown in the dotted lines, Fig. 1, the outer portions will be permitted to collapse aga1nst= the portion 33 and require less overhead space thanwould otherwise be necessary. y

The conveyers 5 are adapted to be loaded in a room where the material is prepared and when loaded are moved from said compartment into a position above the duct 1 where the drying operation is to be carried on. These conveyers are brought to. a standstill so that the portion thereof that is to be connected with the duct 1, preferably the headers 14, will be directly over the openings 3 of said duct. A coupling 85 is pro vided fonconnecting the duct 1 and said header 14 together, said coupling being slidably mounted at the bottom of the header 14 and normally adapted to be carried within said header at a distance from the floor so as not to interfere with the movements of the conveyer.

When connection is to be made with the duct said tube may be moved downwardly and the lower end thereof inserted in one of the openings 3[ These openings arelocated at the proper distances apart to aline with the couplings of a number of conveyers moved closely together in train formation upon the overhead track 6, connection being made with each of said conveyers separately. The construction'of the conveyers may be varied from the forms shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and in Figs. 3 and 4 Ihave illustrated a different form. In this construction wheels 36, 36 are mounted beneath the conveyer to operate along tracks 37. The duct forsupplying the drying medium .may also be placed in a different position fromthat shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and as an illustration of oneother arrangement I have shown a duct 38 arranged along the room above "the floor 39 and provided with openings 40 in the side at the required distances apart.

The conveyers adapted foruse in connection with this typeofduct are constructed somewhat differently than those shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The supports for the articles to be dried, forinstance in this case, as indi .cated at 4l,,4l,ycommunicate directly with a casing 42 which extends substantially the upper, wall 45 of the casing42 and thereforeyprovide spaces 46 between the several supports, the same as in the other form.

The articles to be dried in this fo'rn of apparatus are arranged to rest upon the surfaces 44 of the several supports and: are therefore prevented from shutting off the supply of drying medium which is discharged .from the casing 42 through a series of; perforations 47 and 48 provided in or near the edges of said supports and in the upper wall ofthe casing 42. Means areprovided for connecting the casing 42 with the duct 38, said means preferably consisting of a connecting tube or tapered couplingmember 49 projecting from one end of said casing 42 and adapted to fit the opening 40. A gate 50 is pivotally mounted within theduet 38 to normally cover said opening and is adapted to be swung inwardly, by the insertion of the coupling member 49in said duct, through the opening 40, said gateabeing arranged to automatically close said opening when the coupling is withdrawn.

At theopposite end of the casing 42 there is an opening 51, similar to the opening 40 in the duct 38. This opening 51 is adapted to receiverthecoupling member 49 of another conveyer which may be rolledalong the track and its coupling memberinserted through the opening 51 and thus provide communication with said duct. A gate 52 is arranged within the casing 42 to normally close the opening51, said gate being pivoted at its upper edge to swing upwardly when the coupling member of the next conveyeris inserted through the opening 51 and thus permit the drying medium to be conveyed from the casing 42 of the conveyer nearest to the duct. 38 into the casing of other conveyers which may be connected therewith. The openingtl of the end 0011- veyer will remain closed so as not to the escape of drying medium.

i In Figs. 5 and 6 I have illustrated another form of my invention. In this form. a conpermit veyer is used, similar to that shown in Figs.

3 and 4, that is to say, the conveyer 53 has trucks 54 mounted I beneath the same and adaptedvto roll along tracks 55. Two serles of supports 56 and 57 are provided sub stantially like the supports. 11 and 18 of the forms shown in Figs. 1 and 2, said supports having communication with a headen58 preferably located at one end of the conveyer. The drying medlumls .supplled to moved upwardly into a position where it will not interfere with traflic, but after a conveyer has been moved into a position beneath said branch tube said coupling memher is adapted to be moved downwardly on said branch tube and into engagement with a tube 63 projecting upwardly from the header 58. By this means communication ,may be provided between the duct 59 and the supports 56 and 57.

Figs. 7 and 8 are enlarged detail views, illustrating a pivotal connection between the support 57 and the header 58 and is substantially a duplicate of the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2. vFig. 7 illustrates the support 57 in its horizontal position in readiness to'receive the articles to be dried and while in this position communication is provided between said support and said header.

In Fig. 8 the support 57 is shown turned upwardly so as to provide room for the loading of the lower row of supports. When in this position communication between the support 57 and said header is cut ofi by an extension 64 on said support arranged to completely fill the opening between the header and support. Dampers 65 are provided in each of the branch tubes 60 so as V to permit said tubes to be opened or closed when the coupling members are moved down or u In Figs. 9, 10 and 11 I have illustrated in section three forms of hollow supports, any oneof which is capable of accomplishing the results desired'and what is more, other forms may be used with very good results. The differences between the three forms illustrated are principally in the arrangement of the perforations represented at 16.

In Fig. 9 they are arranged in the edges of the hollow support. In Fig. 10 they are arranged in the upper supporting surface and also in the edges of the hollow support while in Fig. 11, the hollow member is extended in width and the perforations are shown in the marginal portions 66 thereof and have communication with the main sections of the support.

When the portable driers or conveyers are adapted to be used in the open and the easings therefor are to be closed during the drying operation, it is important that outlets be provided for the drying medium so that a roper circulation may be had through tie casing. For this purpose a plurality of openings 67 may be provided through the upper portions of the end Walls 22 and 23 of the forms shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and also through the end walls of the easing 68, shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Numerous instrumentalities may be employed for supplying the drying medium to the ducts of the several forms of my apparatus hereinbefore described, and therefore no specific construction has been shown or described and furthermore the apparatus is not limited to the use of any particular drying medium. The preferred device for this purpose, however, has been previously described in my United States Patent No. 1,221,883 issued April 3, 1917, and as it is not a feature of this invention a detail description thereof will not be necessary.

The general operation of all of the forms of apparatus hereinbefore described is as follows:

The several hollow supports of the conveyers are located with certain commodities which are to be dried and the conveyer containing said commodities is moved into connection with the duct which supplies said medium in accordance with any one of the several forms described.

The drying medium is then permitted to pass from the duct through the coupling member including the several hollow supports provided for the conveyors from which said medium is discharged through the perforations and moved upwardly to the articles mounted thereon, circulating freely through the interstices between said articles, the upward movement of said drying medium being somewhat checked by the next row of hollow supports while said next row of supports supplies fresh drying medium to the articles placed thereabove, thus providing a constant renewing of said drying medium during the drying operation.

In addition to drying by circulation more or less heat will be radiated directly from said supports to the articles in contact therewith, this radiating action being still further assisted by placing absorbent material 17 between said support and the articles thereon. Furthermore, the arrangement of the hollow supports is such that a perfect control of the application of the drying medium to the products within the conveyer will be possible, greatly economizing in the amount of drying fluid required and also producing a more uniform drying of the entire mass of articles within each conveyer.

After the drying of the articles within. the conveyers has been completed said eonveyers are disconnected from the duct and moved to the baking kiln without necessitating the handling of the articles from the time they are prepared and placed upon said conveyers to the time they are dried and ready for the kiln or for their final destination. This saves considerable labor in handling the products. It may also be stated thatthe number of hollow supports employed and the spating between said hollow supports may be varied to accommodate theparticular character of the products to be dried, that to say, if pottery is being dried with the apparatus it willuiot be safe to stack one row above anotherfwhereas in the drying of bricks it may be aossible to pile them several tiers high witliout endangering the bricks in the lower tier.

The positions, therefore, of the several tiers or hollow supports may be varied according to the character of the work and the number thereof increased or diminished.

Having thus specifically described my in vention what I claim and desire by Letters Patent to secure is: i a

l. A drying apparatus having, in combination, a fluid duct, a series of hollow supports provided with perforations arranged adjacent opposite sides thereof, and means for providing communication between said supports and said duct.

2. A drying apparatus having, in combination, a series of horizontally disposed 1101- low rectangular supports adapted tosup port the material to be dried, said supports having perforations arranged adjacent opposite edges thereof, and means for supplying a drying medium to said supports.

3. A drying apparatus having, in combination, a horizontally disposed hollow rectangular support for the material to be dried, said support having a plurality of perforations arranged upon opposite edges thereof, a second support movably disposed above and parallel with said first named support, means for providing communication between said supports, and means for supplying a drying medium thereto.

4. A drying apparatus having, in combination, a series of horizontally disposed hollow supports for the material to be dried, each of said supports having, a plurality of perforations arranged along opposite edges thereof, a second series of horizontally disposed hollow supports disposed above and parallel with said first named series and movable relatively thereof, said second series also having a plurality of perforations arranged along opposite edges thereof, means for providing communication between said series of supports, and instrumentalities for supplying drying fluid to said supports.

5. A drying apparatus having, in combination, a series of horizontally disposed hol low, movable supports provided, with a plurality of perforations arranged along opposite sides thereof, a second serles of each ofsaidsupports having a plurality of perforations arranged along opposite sides thereof, andmeans for supplying a drying medium to said hollow supports.

7. A dryingiapparatus having, in combination, a conveyer, a plurality of, hollow supports for the material to be dried arranged upon said conveyer, said supports having perforations along opposite sides thereof, means for providing communication between the several supports of said series, and means for supplying a drying medium tofsaid hollow supports.

8. Ina drying apparatus a plurality of conveyer-s, a plurality of horizontally disposed hollow supports mounted upon each of said conveyers and adapted to support the material to be dried, said hollow supports havin perforations arranged along opposite si es thereof, means on each of said conveyers adapted to provide communication between the several supports carried thereby, and means constructed and arranged to supply a dryingmedium to all of said conveyers. j d

91 A drying apparatus having, in combination, a fluid duct provided with a plural ity of discharge orifices, means for temporarily closlng sa1d discharge or1fices, a conveyer, a plurality of hollow supports arranged upon said conveyer adapted to support the material to be dried, means for providing communication between said several supports, means carried by said conveyer adapted to be inserted in one ofsaid discharge orifices and during the insertion thereof to open said temporary closing means.

10. Adrying apparatus having, in combination, a fluid duct, a hollow support adapted to support the material to be dried, said support having a series of perforations arranged adjacent opposite edges thereof below the surface whereon said material rests, and means for providing communication between said supports and said duct.

11. In a drying apparatus a pair of hollow supports arranged parallel one above the other, each of said supports having openings adjacent opposite sides thereof, a fluid duct, and means for opening and closing communication between the upper support bination, a fluid duct, a hollow support adapted to support a stack of bricks, the upper surface of said, support being substantially equal in width to the length of a brick, said support having openings arranged adjacent to opposite edges thereof adapted to discharge a dryin medium from the interior of said supports 1n contact with said bricks, and means for providing communication between said support and said duct.

13. In an apparatus for drying bricks and the like a support for the bricks having a supporting surface substantially equal in width to'the length of a brick, said support having a series of perforations arranged adjacent opposite edges thereof at a distance from said brick supporting surface, and means for supplying a drying medium to said support. 7

14. In an apparatus for drying bricks and the like as'upport for the bricks having a supporting surface substantially equal in width to the length of a brick, said support having a series of perforations arranged adjacent opposite edges thereof at adistance from said brick supporting surface, a pivot for said support, and a damper adapted to be opened and closed by the pivotal movements of said support.

15. In a drying apparatus a conveyer, a header superimposed on said conveyer, a series of hollow perforated supports having communication with said header, and means adapted to supply drying fluid to said header.

'16. In a drying apparatus a conveyer, a header superimposed on said conveyer, a series of hollow perforated supports having communication with said header, a fluid duct, and means for detachably connecting said header with said duct.

17. In a drying apparatus a conveyer, a series of hollow supports adapted to support the material to be dried, a header having communication with said supports, a second series of hollow supports arranged above and parallel with the first named series, said secondseries being pivoted upon and having communication with said header, and means for supplying a drying medium to said header.

18. In a drying apparatus a conveyer, a series of hollow supports adapted to support the material to be dried, a header having communication with said supports, and acasing adapted to inclose said series of supports.

19. In a drying apparatus a conveyer, a series of hollow supports adapted to support the material to be dried, a header having communication with said supports, a second series of hollow supports arranged above and parallel with the first named series, said second series being pivoted upon and having communication with said header, and a casing adapted to inclose said supports, said casing having folding sides.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK A. SECORD.

Witnesses:

SYDNEY E. TAFT, HATTIE E. S'rnArroN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, .D. G. 

